A Set of Broken Blades
by ragnorokrising
Summary: Tsunade told them Kushina and her children would die. By using one of the child as a host, the injured Kyuubi saves them. With a Berserker Seal instead of an Eight Point Seal on his naval, and a father to raise him, how will things change for Naruto now?
1. Forging of a Blade

A Set of Broken Blades

By

Ragnorokrising

--  
I really wanted to post this, just because i thought it was a good idea. It's a Naruto/Gaara story about there _friendship_, not a gay Naruto. Please review to tell me what you think.

**Chapter One: Forging a Blade**

Flames roared around the giant beast and the surrounding trees. The mighty Kyuubi no Kitsune breathed heavily as his power fluctuated. His tails hung around him on the ground, and a long gash cut his left back leg open. A snicker in front of him made his tails rise, a sphere of energy slowly forming in the back of his throat. "**Older brother, Kyuubi no Kitsune, how you have fallen.**" the giant eight headed and eight tailed snake in front of the red fox reared up, blocking the moon.

"**You won't be saying that in a moment you over grown salamander!**" the snake hissed as a line of purple energy shot from between each mouth. A giant sphere of purple fired straight at Kyuubi, who opened his mouth and roared. A huge swirling vortex of black fire spun in his mouth. He opened his mouth as large as possible, letting the flames leak around him and turn his fur black. His tails started to pump energy into it. He reared up into the air, swinging back down and letting the orb shoot toward the purple energy. It tore through the sphere and through the chest of the snake, killing it.

"**OROCHI IS DEAD! RETREAT!**" shouted the large badger further back. All but one of the other Bijuu ran, trying to get away from Kyuubi before they suffered the same fate. The only one left was the six tailed weasel, Raijuu of the Thunder.

"**Are you not going to run from me Raijuu?**" asked the older demon.

"**You wounded me Kyuubi. I can go on no longer.**" he turned to his side, showing Kyuubi a long bleeding set of deep cuts. "**I can only offer myself to you so that I may one day serve you.**" in a flash of gold, he became a slim golden sword about twenty inches long. The sheath was black with a picture of the giant weasel on it. Kyuubi let it hang around his neck so its energy could flow into him. The other six Bijuu dashed away, their own wounds slowing them down. Kyuubi sighed and turned towards a village far in the distance. He shot his mind out towards it, looking for the one human he trusted.

'**Minato, it's me, Kyuubi.**'

'_Fox, what do you want?_'

'**I'm wounded, and I won't be able to fight again for at least forty years. Didn't you say your wife is pregnant?**'

'_Oh no, I know where you're going with this. You're not using either of them as a vessel!_'

'**Still, I'm coming to Konoha. I'll be there tomorrow.**' Kyuubi cut the link short there. In Konoha, Minato sighed as the fox tried to get his child in its grasp. He sat outside a surgery room, waiting for Tsunade to finish 'working', as she called it, on Kushina. He polished his last tri-pronged kunai and moved on to shuriken when Tsunade came out of the room, Kushina following her.

"You were right Minato, something is wrong with the pregnancies." she sighed, plopping down onto the uncomfortably hard chairs in the waiting room. Then she turned her attention to Kushina, who ran a head over her stomach that was showing that she was pregnant. "I can't tell what's wrong, but they aren't going to survive long when they're born and Kushina will most likely die as well. No medic could heal her unless they had the power of, I don't know, Kyuubi, at their disposal." Minato flinched, drawing Kushina's attention.

"Minato, is there something you're not telling me?"

"The Kyuubi, he's coming so I can seal him away to heal after a bad fight. If he's seal into one of them, they will survive." Kushina tried to protest, Minato put one of his hands to his head and another up to quiet them.

'_Kyuubi, are you still there?_'

'**Yeah, what'd ya want now?**'

'_Okay, you can be sealed into one of them so they can live._'

'**You'll need something of power to contain me and the Raijuu inside it. That is, if you can make a seal for it.**'

'_You know I love a challenge._' the connection ended with an exchange of laughter between the two. Minato lowered his hands. Kushina slowly turned her gaze on him, as if trying to connect with the fox herself. "Kushina, Tsunade, I have a way to save them. However," he said, raising his finger up in front of his face and tilting his head slightly more in Kushina's direction. "I need that item we were talking about earlier."

"No!" the snapping response came so quickly, Minato barely finished his sentence. "It's an Uzumaki heirloom! I _won't_ give it up for you to let a demon sleep inside it!" Minato's eyes glazed over, a distant look coming out.

"Kushina, would you doom our child to death at your side, to save a single item that will sit aside behind a large wall of boxes and collect dust? We might as well just abort them." Tsunade and Kushina gasped.

"Minato…I'm not heartless."

"Then you would doom the child, separating your old clan and your new one at the same time?" a tear broke away from Kushina's eye, sliding down her cheek and onto the floor. She slid her hand into a hidden pouch on her leg and pulled out a white and red scroll with the Uzumaki clan symbol on it. He carefully took it from her and put it in his pocket.

"The fox will be sealed behind the mountain to keep it a secret. I'll go work on the seals." he walked away; a tear of his own falling from having to hurt is wife in such a way.

(The Next Day)

It was behind the large expense of rock and trees that an injured fox with a sword hung from his neck sat and waited. First his weapon was removed and placed in a large circle to be shrunken down to a pendant on a black chain. Then Minato painted a seal on Kushina's naval. She tried to look at it, but he stopped her. "You don't want to mess up the seals."

"Was that a fat joke?" he ignored her (smart move) and painted a similar seal on Kyuubi's forehead between his eyes. Kushina snapped her head towards Minato. "That's a berserker seal Minato!" again he ignored her. He stood between them and spread his arms out to either side where the palms faced the seals. Sparks flew from his finger tips then a set of chakra strings connected the seals to each finger. With a mighty tug and a groan of effort, as well as a few popping noises, Kyuubi was slammed into a seal further off, becoming a ball of red energy.

"Berserker Sealing Jutsu!" the object flew through the strings and into Kushina's seal. She screamed in pain as the seal went bright red. Tsunade had her knocked out in a temporary coma in a few seconds.

"Now we wait until she awakes."

"When will that be Tsunade?" Jiraiya questioned.

"When she goes into labor in a few days. Until then, I'd say you should go to Sealing Country and get that set of scrolls you spoke of Minato." the momentary gleam in the Kage's eyes went un-noticed by the healer.

"I'll be back in time." he turned away from the others and let his cloak fall to the ground, intricate lines of golden light glowing on the inside.

'_Weight seals huh? Minato, you're determined to become the fastest person in the Elemental Nations aren't you?_' joked Jiraiya to himself. His former student spread his legs and made a ram seal. He closed his eyes and sent chakra through his body ad focused it to three spots. In a hug burst of chakra, the first three Celestial Gates opened up and increased Minato's speed. He sent some of that extra chakra to his legs and flew away from the village. He traveled for a few hours at this speed, then after opening the fourth gate, shot over a huge expense of lake, thus using a large portion of his chakra, and arrived in Sealing Country.

"Halt! Who goes there?" a single guard came out of a huge gate, decorated in weapons.

"Hello Hoyitame, long time no see."

"Minato, is that you?" a smile broke the man's stern looks apart to show joy and surprise. "Last time I saw you was a year before the war ended."

"Hoyitame, I would love to catch up and all, but I'm in a bit of a twist." he briefly explained what was going on with Kushina.

"And you need the Namikaze scrolls?" the Kage nodded his head. Hoyitame hesitated before nodding and leading Minato through the village. Since it was two in the morning, every one except the ANBU were asleep. They stopped in front of a small alter. Hoyitame told the blonde he could go no further and let him inside.

Stepping in front of the large table, he took thirteen scrolls and sealed them away. Stepping further back, he knocked on the wall a few times before a hollow sound came back. "I found you." he pushed the spot and the wall sprung in on itself. Behind the secret compartment, two more scrolls sat. He grabbed them and hit a button on the wall. A black glass case came down. He edged his hand towards the scroll it held.

"Minato, is that you?" his hand froze. Out of the shadows, a blonde woman with cerulean eyes held a small green orb. "Brother, what are you doing in the village? You were banished!" he smiled sadly at her before he appeared behind her, his hand still shaking from the chop that knocked out his younger sister. He went back to the box and in flash, snatched the box up, grabbed a blue scroll inside it, placed a decoy scroll back inside in the exact same place, and put the box back down.

But he wasn't quick enough.

Several small green spheres rolled out of the walls in his direction. He flew to his sister and out of the alter, dropping her on the ground. Green, poisonous smog came out of the door way as he flooded his leg muscles with chakra. He would need Tsunade soon.

(Konoha: Minato's Arrival)

Staggering into the Kage tower with ANBU helping him stay standing, Minato lay on the couch and let Tsunade heal the muscles. "What were you thinking? If you hadn't been as fast as you are, your bones would have shattered from the force of the chakra and you would be crippled for life." he felt the pain numb as she slowly put each piece of the fractured skeletal inlay of his legs together again. The scrolls were in his bag which he reached into, pulling out a green scroll.

"I needed to get these scrolls." he dropped the rolled up paper back into the bag and drifted into unconsciousness. When he awoke, he was in a hospital room, next to Kushina, with several monitoring devices in his body. He took each one out and dropped it on the ground, alerting his nurses. Tsunade, angry and obviously hung over, came in and pointed a finger to start yelling, until Kushina took a large breath and stuttered something inaudible. "What Kushina?"

"I said, I think my water broke." she started going into labor, and once again Minato passed out.

(An Hour Later)

The Yondaime Hokage was by no means an emotional man, but when he looked at the small male baby crying in the crib with the berserker seal on his naval and the female baby lying dead next to her mother, he couldn't help but cry. He stroked the boy's head, for some reason being born full of hair, and smiled down at him. "I will name you Naruto, in honor of your mother's birth country."

"Minato, the council wishes to speak to you." Jiraiya placed his hand on the blonde's shoulder. "They know about the fox being sealed. A ROOT member was watching you." he sighed and picked up Naruto, patting him on the back.

"Well, let's get going shall we?" he opened the door and left the hospital, ignoring the civilians around him. Shoving away a hand trying to reach Naruto, he entered the council room and stared down Danzo first, killing intent rolling off him and slightly scaring Naruto. "Danzo, I told you to disband ROOT! I will give you a day to do so, before you are removed with them from the village. Now what do you old farts want?" he said, ignoring Danzo's shocked look.

"Lord Hokage, we have come to discuss that…creature in your arms." spoke Homura.

"This _creature_ is my son and only child. You will show him some respect or be cast out of this village for dishonoring the current Kage family." the malice in his voice was un-mistakable.

"Your…son… holds a demon inside him. The problem is the demon could take over at any moment." began Koharu.

"And we want you to either kill it, or let us make it a weapon." finished Danzo. Staring at the council with hate filled eyes, Minato handed Jiraiya Naruto. The older white haired man made a Shadow Clone to watch and left the room. Once the lock clicked into place, Minato flew forward and grabbed Danzo's collar, pulled him over the wooden table, spun in a circle and hurled the war hawk into a wall. The ROOT leader slid to the ground unconscious.

"THAT IS MY CHILD! THE LAST OF THE FAMILY THAT DOESN'T WANT TO KILL ME!" he pointed at the door where his baby waited. "I swear if you try anything that could harm my son," sticking his hand in the second kunai pouch on his waist, he hurled his special kunai at each council member. Activating the seals, he flew through the council room and landed in the same place. "I'll activate the choker seals on your necks. One snap and you choke yourself to death."

Each person placed their hand on the seals at their necks. The Jiraiya clone smiled before disappearing. Walking out the door, Minato took Naruto from his ex-sensei's hands and flashed home.

(Next Day)

Minato was sitting in his study when he heard it. The wall of his room where he let Naruto rest exploding open mixed with the sound of Naruto's screams. He dashed out of the door and burst open to see a huge zanbato flying down on Naruto. He couldn't cast an offensive jutsu or get to Naruto in time, so he cast a Foreign Sleep Jutsu on him. He had discovered the other night that when Naruto slept, Kyuubi came out. The blue edged red flames that acted as a shield for Naruto were pierced by the sword as the baby fell asleep.

"**GET AWAY FROM MY HOST!**" a flaming tail slammed into the masked man. Inside a cocoon of fire, Naruto slept, tucked into a ball. The flames around the child took the shape of a bison sized nine tailed fox. "**If this child was older and I could take on my true size, I would crush you beneath my paw.**" instead, four tails shot forward and pieced him, turning his body to ash.

'_Note to self: never make Naruto or Kyuubi mad when he turns thirteen._' thought Minato.


	2. Genin

A Set of Broken Blades

By

Ragnorokrising

--

**Chapter Two: Genin**

Naruto stared at the paper in front of him, triple checking the answers. Walking up the Mizuki and Iruka, he handed in the paper and went back to his seat as Shino and Shikamaru handed in their papers. As the last person, Kiba, handed in the test, Iruka stood up. "We will now move onto the Taijutsu/Ninjutsu tests." as one, the group stood up and left the academy, going to the practice field. "All you have to do is last ten minutes in a battle, using Taijutsu and Ninjutsu." Naruto walked onto the field and the rest of the class shied away from him.

Sasuke Uchiha, being from such an arrogant upraising, walked onto the field, making the girls swoon. "If you outlast the battle time, you tie, if one of you wins the battle before that, they win instant graduation." Sasuke started the match. Throwing several kunai knives, he started a chain of seals, finishing on tiger and bringing a perfect O made from his fingers up to his lips. Naruto didn't move, feeling the familiar pulse of youki as his wall of hardened ash only a ANBU captain could break with a high speed power move rose to his chest, stopping the metal weapons.

Naruto raised his hand as a boulder of fire shot towards him. He flicked his wrist upward, sending the fire ball shooting into the air. Sasuke bombarded his shield of ash with metal weapons for a whole minute until his pouch was empty. Naruto crossed his arms as a fist of ash punched Sasuke. Then a medium sized wave cocooned him as Naruto let a blood crazed smile adorn his face. Spreading his fingers wide, he called out "Ninja Art: Ash Coffin!"

"Naruto! Stop it right now!" screamed a new voice. Naruto closed his hand and hardened the ash with Youki as quick as possible. Unfortunately, a white and yellow blur dashed passed Naruto and sliced the ash into pieces while a second one grabbed Naruto's hand and pulled open the hand. An older version of Naruto in a Jounin outfit in a flaming edged cloak hauled Sasuke to Iruka and disappeared quickly in a small puff of smoke.

"Father, why have you stopped me?"

"You were going to kill the last Uchiha in the village!" turning his head towards Iruka, he caught a bottle of pills flying through the air and gave two to Naruto.

"Thank you Father." he gulped down the pills and the ash disappeared into four small cylinders on his belt.

"Iruka, what does he need to do for the test to be graduated?"

"He needs to…to show us his abilities with weapons." Naruto pulled out a long strand of ninja wire with twenty kunai knives and tossed it at the training log, making it swirl around and cut into the wood. Iruka nodded to Minato and the Kage disappeared with his son in a swirl of leaves.

--

Appearing in the Kage office, Minato sighed deeply and dropped into the chair behind the desk. "Naruto, why do you keep doing this stuff?" Naruto shrugged and pulled out a block of wood, shooting a swirl of Youki into the center that turned the brown rectangle into floating ash. Using a slight mental command, he made the ash go into an empty cylinder.

"I just wanted to get the top spot in the class."

"You're already top spot!"

"Not by an eight point margin." Minato sweat dropped but all the same, he spun around and opened a draw in the desk. He pulled out a wooden case and handed it to Naruto.

"Even if you nearly killed a classmate, I promised your mother I would give you this when you became a Genin." Naruto took the box and opened it, glancing at the material inside, letting his eyes wander over two seals in the roof. He picked up the headband inside the box first.

"Why does it say 'ash'?" he settled his gaze on the kanji for 'ash' at the center of the metal then to the ash gray material. Two village symbols, one of Konoha and one of Whirlpool, adorned it as well and he noticed a summoning seal inside the material, right behind the plate. "And what's with the summoning seal?"

"Well, it says 'ash' because from this point on you are Naruto of the Ash and the summoning seal is incase you ever get caught in a battle you can't handle. You but a small amount of chakra into it and a…special effect my sensei and I rigged up appears." raising an eyebrow, Naruto tied on the head band on his head. Then he opened the first seal. A folded up dark gray trench coat appeared on the floor and he could just make out the words on the side.

_Naruto of the Ash_

He picked it up and placed it around his usual black muscle shirt. It came down to the right height and fit perfectly. He felt a small slot inside the sleeve for a hidden knife or vial of poison. He bowed to his father. "Thank you for the gift." Minato just smiled and gestured to unseal the next seal. With a pulse of chakra, he stared at the small belt, which had a shrunken version of a storage seal s its buckle.

"The seal actually works to. You could store entire houses in there to burn for you attack." a devious smirk appeared on Naruto's face as he took off his current belt and replaced it with this one, exchanging the containers as well. Bowing once more, he disappeared in a swirl of ash and smoke.

--

Naruto appeared a few seconds before Iruka left the academy. "Iruka-sensei, I have a request."

"Of course Naruto, how may I help you?" looking at the roster in Iruka's hands, he let the slightest upturn of the lips show.

"I want to choose my teammates." Iruka looked apprehensively at the clip board.

"Well, I had you paired with Hinata and Kiba, but-"

"No, I want Shikamaru Nara and Sasuke Uchiha." he turned to leave as Iruka stuttered, confused and disoriented.

"I'm afraid Sasuke wouldn't agree with that." Naruto turned his head and _chuckled_! And not an insane chuckle, a real, genuine chuckle.

"I'm not giving him an option. Put Hinata and Kiba with Shino, and Choji with Ino and Sakura."

"What about you sensei?" a line of ash swallowed the board and pulled it over to Naruto. Scanning it quickly, he circled his possible teammates and a fourth name, giving Iruka back the clipboard. He walked away, a head of a fox made from ash winking at him. Iruka glanced at the name, perplexed.

"Why would he want Asuma Sarutobi?"


	3. Test Time

A Set of Broken Blades

By

Ragnorokrising

--

**Chapter Three: Test Time**

Naruto was the first to arrive at the academy. Next was Sasuke, Shino, Ino, Sakura, and he ignored every one after that. Iruka and Mizuki came out after that. Naruto pulled out a kunai and started to sharpen it as Iruka read off the 'Congrats on being a ninja, try not to get your brains splattered' speech. "Now, for team assignments. Team One…"Naruto finished sharpening the kunai when he caught Iruka saying his name. "Originally, Naruto was going to be with Kiba and Hinata on Kurenai Yuhi's team," Naruto caught sight of Hinata smile at his and her names, "But after careful consideration, he will be on Asuma Sarutobi's team with Sasuke and Shikamaru."

Naruto caught a new look on Hinata's face, pain, disappointment, resentment, he couldn't tell. "Hinata, Kiba and Shino will be on Kurenai's team, and Sakura, Ino and Choji will be trained by Hayate Gekkou." on cue, the door opened and three adults stepped in. One had a cigarette in his mouth, wore a Standard Jounin outfit and had two trench knives at his side, brass knuckles with blades on the end that could channel elemental chakra.

Then there was a woman with red eyes in some kind of red and white dress. The final man was a sickly looking Jounin with a sword on his back. "I'm Asuma, if you're mine follow me." said the first man as he left. Sasuke, Naruto and Shikamaru got up and followed him out the door. They followed him to a rooftop where he plopped down and started making smoke rings. "Now do some sort of introduction."

"I'll go first, as the leader of the team." said Naruto, interrupting Sasuke while making him mad at the same time. "My name is Naruto Namikaze, a.k.a. Naruto of the Ash, son of the Fourth Hokage. I enjoy Ninjutsu and reading up on legendary ninja. My dislikes include Sasuke, Jiraiya pervert, and fan girls. My dream is to destroy this village by burying it in a tidal wave of youki enhanced flames and ash."

'_Shit, his father was right! He wants to destroy the village and every one in it!_'

"I'll go next I guess. So troublesome. My name is Shikamaru Nara, a.k.a. Lazy. I like cloud watching and sleeping, I dislike not being lazy, and my dream is to marry an average looking girl, have two children, one girl then one boy, and retire when my son becomes a Chuunin."

'_Okay, I'll have to work on his motivation._'

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha, a.k.a. the last sane member of the Uchiha clan. Hobbies are useless; I have few likes and many dislikes. My dream, no, my ambition is to kill a certain man and revive my clan." Naruto snorted, drawing Sasuke's attention. "What?"

"You won't be able to kill Itachi." Sasuke flinched at the name while his anger smirked. "By your age he was an ANBU captain and had a fully developed Sharingan. In your clan, you wouldn't even be considered an average ninja, let alone a prodigy. And even if you did fight him and kill him, you would be mortally wounded and your clan would end. If I was you, I would revive your clan and go after Itachi when you had back up to help you so even if you did die you would still have your clan survive."

"I'll surpass him one day and then I'll kill you!" swore Sasuke. Naruto spread his fingers toward Sasuke and made him flitch. Closing his fist, he slipped into a relaxed state.

"Well, tomorrow, meet me at training ground seventy-four for survival training."

"Survival training?" questioned Shikamaru.

"Yeah, the Genin test was to see if you had the basic skills while it's the Jounin who decide which teams move on. There's only a thirty three point three percentile to pass if I remember. That means only three teams will move on." having delivered the message, Asuma stood up and Shunshinned away. Naruto followed with an Ash Shunshin and Shikamaru walked away from Sasuke, leaving the somber Uchiha alone on the rooftop.

--

Naruto was the second to arrive right behind Asuma himself. "Asuma-sensei, may I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure, go ahead." he said, picking his teeth with a senbon.

"Can you teach me how to use my Wind affinity?" Asuma shrugged, since the Fourth had warned him before hand. "Well, yes or no?"

"I guess, but how did you know you're a Wind affinity?" now Naruto shrugged.

"I just get this feeling." eying him critically, Asuma pulled out a seal.

"Put some chakra into this." grasping the slip of paper, Naruto let his chakra go. In a flash of black, the slip was sliced in half and turned into black grains of sand, or compacted balls of ash. "Huh, Wind and Ash, what'd ya know."

"So will you train me?"

"If you pass the test, then yes, I'll teach you." Naruto nodded and jumped backwards, landing on a tree branch.

After a half hour of waiting, Sasuke and Shikamaru arrived.

"Alright boys, here's how it's gonna work. I have two bells," he raised two golden bells on a red string "and who ever gets one passes." he tossed them in the air and grabbed them again. "GO!"

The three kids shot in different direction whiel Asuma pulled out a new cigar. He leaned back as Naruto shot over his head and ripped his belt off. He sealed it up and pulled out a match. "Give em back my ash." Naruto said.

"Sorry, afraid I can't do that. If I give you the ash, I can't beat you without wasting lots of chakra. I remove your ash, and I have a better chance of winning." He struck the match and lit the cigar.

"But who says I don't have any ash." he held up his right hand and pushed. Asuma looked confuse for a second before he spit the cigar into the air. It exploded into small particles that then formed into needles. Asuma pulled his trench knives out and slashed the needles to pieces. He put them back at his waist and danced quickly through hand seals. A bullet of wind flew towards Naruto, who jumped over.

As Naruto retreated, Shikamaru calculated. The Nara soon realized he would have no chance alone and found Naruto. "I saw the fight. And I've been thinking. He's a Jounin, and a Genin wouldn't have a chance against him. So we should use team work to defeat him."

"I see your point Shikamaru. But he has my belt. I have no ash to fight with."

"Don't you know any Fire Style jutsu?"

"I do, but I need Sasuke help to get enough ash to fight with." Shikamaru sighed.

"It's a drag but we should go find Sasuke."

At that same moment, Sasuke came flying through the bushes. He glared at Naruto.

"Sasuke, we need your help." Shikamaru said. Sasuke glared at Naruto but nodded for Shikamaru to continue. "A Genin obviously has no chance against a Jounin, so that means we need to use teamwork."

Sasuke was silent for a moment. "I'm listening."

"Asuma has Naruto's ash, so we need to make more. You and he will jump over the forest and use a Fireball Jutsu to burn some trees. This will give Naruto ash to fight with and allow me to extend my shadow to capture him."

"I'll send my shadow out and you two get in the air. Then we just see what happens and play to the others advantages." Naruto and Sasuke nodded and jumped up into the trees. Shikamaru made a hand sign and a tentacle of darkness shot towards Asuma, who skipped backwards.

Naruto put his hands together and Sasuke put his feet their. Naruto shot him into the air with all his strength. Sasuke pulled on Naruto's hand and brought him with him. Sasuke hurled Naruto upward and Naruto did the same.

Together they formed the hand seals. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" two huge boulders of fire spilled forth into the forest and exploded. Asuma looked up to see Naruto and Sasuke. He flashed through hand seals and water started to pour onto the flames. However, the smoke gave Shikamaru the extension on his shadow and he caught Asuma.

Naruto pulled the ash up and formed spears, as well as a sword for Sasuke. Shikamaru held the hand sign, while Naruto held the spears and Sasuke placed the sword at Asuma's neck.

Asuma smiled widely. "Congratulation, you all pass."

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. Review please!


	4. Mission to the Land of Waves

**A Set of Broken Blades**

_**By**_

_**Ragnorokrising**_

--

**Chapter Four: Mission to the Land of Waves**

Naruto sat on the top step of the Kage tower stairs as Asuma, Sasuke, and Shikamaru marched up them with a orange cat. "Thanks for the help Naruto." said Sasuke. The ash user stood up and walked to the Kage office, where his father raised an eyebrow at the expression on his face.

"Father, I wish to go on a C-rank mission. My team is more than ready for it." Iruka started to stand but Naruto shot him a harsh look and he sat back down as particles of ash started to float around the room.

"Naruto, do your teammates agree with you?"

"Well," Naruto turned to his team. "Do you think we're ready for it?"

"After everything we've been through and our battle compatibility, I assume so." said Shikamaru. Asuma and Sasuke shrugged.

"Shikamaru is the smart one. If he thinks we're ready, then I agree." said Asuma. Minato hurled a scroll at Naruto.

"Alright, you are to escort a man named Tazuna to the Land of Waves. Tazuna, please come in here."

An elderly man with a travel pack and a sake bottle stumbled in. "These brats are suppose to protect me? The spiky haired one looks like he might fall asleep at any moment." Shikamaru started to glare but sighed and tilted his head to the side.

A line of Z's floated form his mouth and into the air. Every one sweat dropped as Shikamaru started to snore.

"Anyway," said Asuma. "We'll meet you at the gate in thirty minutes."

"Right."

(Thirty Minutes Later)

"And no killing Tazuna or anyone who doesn't attack you unless they intend to kill you. If it's a teammate and their under a mind control jutsu then knock them out, don't kill."

"Father," Naruto said, interrupting Minato's rant. "I will be fine and so will my team. I swear I will protect them with my life." Minato relaxed. When a Jinchuuriki swears on his life, he will hold himself to the promise no matter what.

"Okay Naruto. Just, promise me you won't use that jutsu Jiraiya and I taught you unless an enemy ninja attacks."

"Father, it's a C-rank, ninja are only in B and higher missions." Minato rolled his eyes as Naruto grabbed his backpack. "I'll be back in a month."

A swirl of ash surrounded him and he disappeared.

He reappeared at the gate where his team was waiting. He nodded to the gate guards and they stepped out of the village.

(Thirty Minutes Later)

Asuma and Naruto dropped back from the main group as a puddle came up on the road.

"Asuma-sensei, it's been sunny and warm for two weeks with zero precipitation. Why would a puddle be in the middle of the road?"

"Either it's someone in disguise, or it's reminisce of a ninjutsu battle. Be ready for an attack." Wind chakra spread lightly over Asuma's hands and formed claws over his fingers. Ash spread out under Naruto with each step, leaving an ashy foot print. After a moment, the ash would float into the air and into the forest, where it would collect into hard packed bullets.

Once Asuma and Naruto where thirty yards away, the puddle twisted upwards into two men. They rushed forward with a barbed chain connecting them. Ten yards away from the group, Naruto turned and the ground in a fifty yard radius exploded into a black circle. Chains of ash shot up and wrapped the ninja's arms and legs up.

Asuma and Naruto stepped to the side and Shikamaru's shadow shot forward. The two men were released and forced to walk to a tree. Asuma tided them up with a rope.

"Okay, who sent you?"

"Screw you Konoha scum!" one yelled, struggling against the ropes. Naruto placed a hand on the ground and a long black line shot through the earth in the direction of Konoha.

"ANBU will be here soon to pick you up. So don't move." they turned and left, leaving the two men struggling. Naruto sent more ash into the air to form bullets. He pulled a scroll out and unsealed a huge hourglass that he put on his back. He sealed up the belt as he unleashed all the ash and forced it into the box.

They marched for another ten minutes before they encountered another attack.

Naruto was walking on their right side when a buzzing sound reached his ears. Instantly ash exploded from the hour glass and formed a giant shield around them. Some collided with the ash and Naruto felt the blow impact as the shield drained a chunk of his chakra.

Asuma, Sasuke, and Shikamaru noticed Naruto jerk. They knew the shield drew on his chakra, so the hit must have been powerful.

They all ducked as the shield dropped and cushioned their impact. The weapon slid through the trunk of a tree like a hot knife through butter. A man landed on the blade with his arms crossed. He had his face wrapped in bandages and no shirt on. His pants were gray with blue stripes and he had no eye brows.

Asuma drew his trench knives and formed two swords out of air. Zabuza's eyes twitched like he was moving imaginary eyebrows. "Asuma Sarutobi, son of the Third Hokage and master of the Trench Knives Sword Style. I could get a lot of money for your head." the man said.

"Zabuza Momochi, traitor ninja of the Hidden Mist village, Kirigakure. Wanted for attempting to kill the Mizukage. You're wanted by many people." said Asuma.

Zabuza jumped down and grabbed his sword handle form the tree. He pointed at Tazuna.

"Give me the man and I don't kill the blonde kid." Naruto rolled his eyes. He ducked under the sword that came soaring from behind him. Turning, he kicked Zabuza in the chest, sending a spike of ash. The spike retracted, but it was slushy and Naruto had to detach it. He jumped back as 'Zabuza' turned to water. Zabuza did the invisible eyebrow thing again.

"And you are brat?"

"I am Naruto Namikaze, son of Minato Namikaze, the fourth Hokage of Konohagakure. But you may call me Naruto of the Ash." a wave of black rose up around Naruto. It started forward, but huge cracks went through the ash and started to turn red as fire burned between each grain. "Fire Style: Wave of Flames." the ash exploded into flames and flowed to the sides of Naruto, burning down both sides of the forest.

Huge clouds went into the air as ash started to collect around them, forming a protective shell. Shikamaru started making hand signs. A black shadow shot through the smoke and touched Zabuza's shadow. The man twitched and formed a hand sign.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu: complete." said Shikamaru. Zabuza's sword started to shake and flew out of its owner's hand. It spun in a death spiral towards Shikamaru. A hand of ash shot up and grabbed the sword handle. Naruto brought the sword to him and lifted it over head.

"Its feels light. Some kind of special seal…" he dropped the sword as it vibrated into the air and zoomed towards Shikamaru. The Nara jumped away, ending the jutsu. Asuma rushed forward and slashed t Zabuza, who had rushed towards his sword. He ducked under a slash and pulled invisible strings.

The sword flew forward and into the eye brow-less man's hand. He met Asuma's slashed head on. Several clones of Zabuza appeared around him. Together they over-whelmed Asuma and kicked him into the water.

Sasuke and Shikamaru engaged the clones as Zabuza approached Naruto. "If I kidnap you, your father will pay a lot of money." Naruto walked backwards and fell down. He started to freak out as Zabuza raised his sword over his head. "I could just kill you."

He brought his sword down towards Naruto, whose eyes flashed red. The ash rose up to block the sword but the metal slashed through it easily. Naruto screamed in fear.

"GO AWAY!" fire explode from around him and sent him hurtling into the air. His sword lay in the ground next to Naruto, who grabbed it and used it as a way to get up. He watched as Zabuza fell into the unburned forest. Naruto closed his eyes and drifted to the edge of consciousness.


	5. New Shield

**A Set of Broken Blades**

_**By**_

_**Ragnorokrising**_

--

**Chapter Five: New Shield**

Naruto woke up two hours later, in a strange house. He groaned as he ripped apart the giant paper seal holding him down. He looked out a window to see a giant smoke cloud rising from several miles away.

"Oh, so the great destroyer finally awakens." some one said. Naruto turned to see who it was. A smile lit up on his face as he saw one of the few people who could make that happen.

"Jiraiya, I haven't seen you in a few months." he said solemnly. He turned to the window and his smile faded. "I remember going unconscious…" he stood up slowly and walked over to the window. Several new feelings entered his body.

Remorse, confusion, and fear.

"Unconsciousness is the same as sleep… I fell asleep and the Kyuubi was released to wreak havoc."

"He didn't cause any havoc it's just the fact when he shakes himself clean fire falls everywhere." Jiraiya said laughingly. Naruto turned on him.

"You think this is funny? That creature ended my mother's life! You people say there was no hope for her to live! You had a Bijuu with limitless chakra to give Tsunade! She could have saved her whenever she wanted!"

Jiraiya sat as still as a rock. He'd never seen this before, no one, not even Minato, had.

A cascade of tears slowly made its way down Naruto's face, wiping away grime and dust and leaving two pale trails on his face.

"Naruto, no, Tsunade couldn't have." Jiraiya spoke slowly and evenly, reaching behind his back for a paper seal incase something went wrong. "A Bijuu's chakra is too potent for someone unless they are a newborn. Someone whose chakra pathway has not developed. If Tsunade had used Kyuubi's chakra, she _and_ Kushina would have died."

Naruto slowly calmed down and sat back down on the floor across from Jiraiya.

"Why are you in Wave anyway?"

"A spy of mine went missing a few months ago and I've been looking for leads."

"What's his name? Tazuna may know."

"It was Kaiza. Last I heard from him, Gato had just arrived in the country and he was going to try and stop some of his men from harassing people." Naruto wrote the name in the air with ash.

"Jiraiya, I assume that you were informed of our battle with Zabuza Momochi."

"Yeah, and I told your dad. However the village can't spare any ninja right now so you're on your own at the moment."

"That's not what I was referring to. When I was fighting him he… he destroyed my ash shield easily. Can you help with that?"

"I could but I can't without harming your mental health." Naruto raised an eyebrow. "When your father placed your seal, he placed a second, more stable seal over the original. The seal limits the amount of youki that's able to enter your ash and uses your chakra to replace it. Since your chakra isn't as strong as youki, it's not so much of an impenetrable as it originally was."

"Can I get rid of the seal?"

"You could, but it would end badly. I suggest you talk to Kyuubi. He might have some kind of helpful hint."

They walked down the stairs to the living room where Asuma, Shikamaru, Sasuke and Tazuna were eating lunch.

"Hey, tar breath, how's it going?" Jiraiya called loudly to Asuma.

"I told you not to call me that!" Asuma yelled back.

"Asuma, Jiraiya, stop acting like kids." Naruto said sternly.

Sasuke and Shikamaru's jaws fell open as their Jounin sensei and a Sannin started to mutter apologies to a twelve year old Genin.

"Now, Asuma, teach these two Tree Climbing, Jiraiya, come with me, and bring ink and paper."

Asuma grabbed Sasuke and Shikamaru by the collar and hauled ass out of there. Naruto and Jiraiya disappeared somewhere into the forest.

Naruto formed a dome of ash around himself. He called to Jiraiya through the ash, making his voice sound like an echo fading away in a cave.

"Place several seals around and on the dome. I'm going to have to sleep to see the Fox. You just stop anything that tries to come out."

"Okay brat!" Jiraiya yelled back.

Naruto danced easily through hand signs. "Ninja Art: Forced Sleep Jutsu!" Naruto's head sagged as sleep over took him. The inside of the dome started to heat as Naruto flew through his mental space to his mindscape.

He'd only been there once before, and it was by accident. It's also why he got a new room.

He dropped down into a giant field with flowers made entirely from different colored flames and trees formed of ash. A giant lake fed by a stream which led to a water fall were placed off to the side and the liquid wasn't' water, but lava. A giant fox with a bandage wrapped around its leg opened a single massive eye and closed it quickly.

"**What'd you want Naruto?**"

"You live in my head. You should know what." he said, starting to sit down. One of the trees broke apart and rushed underneath him, forming a cloud for him to levitate on.

The fox sighed and pushed itself up slightly.

"**You want to know if there's a way to strengthen your shield.**" he yawned and used one huge paw to rub his eye. "**Well there isn't. The ash shield can't get any stronger.**"

"That's impossible. Can't you teach some kind of technique to strengthen it?"

"**Well, there is the Armor of Ash. It forms a shell of ash over your body that changes color to match your skin and hair color. But that would take to long to learn and it buts a huge strain on your stamina and chakra as well as labor your movements.**"

"What about a new form of shield?" Kyuubi started to laugh. "No, listen. You're the Bijuu of flames and at the end of the fight with Zabuza, flames blew Zabuza away. Can't you make some kind of shield like that?"

"**Yeah, that might work. Just give me some time. Until then, let me sleep. Jiraiya's getting tired of holding back my physical form.**" he plopped back down, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

The world around Naruto started to stretch out into a flat surface before he opened his eyes in the real world. He was curled in the fetal position inside the dome.

Jiraiya was outside with several clones quickly painting seals while he and several more formed hand signs and chanted.

The dome suddenly exploded into blistering white heat. The clones were dispelled while Jiraiya's clothes were scorched slightly.

Naruto dropped to the ground as the ash flowed into the belt seal. Some one threw a kunai knife and Jiraiya caught a glimpse of Sasuke.

A hand shot out and grabbed the kunai. It melted into a gray goo and sloshed to the ground. The fire withdrew and disappeared.

"The fox works quickly." Naruto said before he started to swoon. Jiraiya slapped several seals on him quickly as he started to snore.

"Sleep tight brat. You're gonna need it."


	6. Tough Battles

**A Set of Broken Blades**

_**By**_

_**Ragnorokrising**_

--

**Chapter Six: Tough Battles**

Naruto opened his eyes and found himself in the same room he had woken up in before. He wiped the seals off of his body. He stood up and walked down the stairs to a living room. He started to eat the food that was compiled there.

Jiraiya, Asuma, Sasuke and Shikamaru all came inside. "Naruto, heads up!" Jiraiya yelled. He tossed a chakra enhanced kunai at Naruto. The ash shield rose to stop it bit it only slowed it down. The kunai soared forward and an inch form Naruto's face, it disappeared. All that was left was a silver puddle.

"What the hell was that for Pervert?!" Naruto yelled.

"Testing that new shield of yours brat." Naruto started grumbling again and turned to the food.

Asuma sat down across from him and put three scrolls bundled together on the table. He slid them over the table to Naruto.

"These are training techniques for your Wind Affinity. I've chosen an appropriate weapon for you to focus it through. It's sealed inside."

Naruto sent a stream of ash out to grab the scrolls and tuck them down next to him.

Sasuke and Shikamaru sat down on either side of him. They both started to eat themselves.

They spent the next ten minutes talking about their training.

"So, Naruto, how would you like to learn the Rasengan?" Jiraiya said suddenly. The result was Sasuke getting a face full of spit out rice.

"Dad said I could learn it?" Jiraiya nodded and slurped down some ramen.

"We'll start your training as soon as I get the right supplies." they ate all the food, help Tsunami clean the plates, and all went to sleep, except for Naruto, who opened the scrolls.

The first scroll said to cut a leaf in half using only your chakra. Naruto retrieved a few leaves from outside the window and started to practice the technique. The leaf had too much chakra and it exploded. The next had to little and just shook slightly.

Naruto went out into the forest and made two hundred fifty clones to help him. By the time the sun came up, he could split the leaf halfway and the only proof was thousands of small leafy bits on the ground and a tree with lots of empty branches.

Naruto walked inside the large house and took a shower. He asked Jiraiya to paint the suppression seals on him and fell asleep in his room.

(Next Day)

Naruto woke up, took a shower, changed clothes, and went down to breakfast. He greeted Tsunami, ate a few oranges and went to train.

He emptied more trees, made more clones, and nearly passed out several times. He did this until the sun was a quarter of the way across the sky track.

"I final did it." the two halves of the leaf fluttered to the ground as the Shadow Clones disappeared in blasts of smoke.

Naruto opened the scroll again. He groaned and reached for inside for the reserves of red chakra.

He performed two jutsu, forming a waterfall.

"Already on the second step I see." Asuma said. He looked at the waterfall and sighed. "I remembered when I first had to do this. Took me several months to even part the water. I don't expect you to do any better. No offense but…" he trailed off as Naruto jumped onto the water.

A gray energy swirled around him as a long line of wind shot down the water. There was a cracking sound as a lien ran down the stone and spider webbed beneath him.

Naruto made a clone and side stepped. He and the clone sent two more waves of wind down the waterfall. The water exploded then started to run again.

Naruto made one more clone to take his place and jumped down next to Asuma. "Do you feel like helping em make a few waterfalls?"

"I don't' see why not." the next one hundred and fifty minutes were spent making waterfalls and then youki enhanced clones to train two at a time.

They left the area to find Jiraiya in front of the house with a bunch of water balloons. He tossed one to Naruto.

"What's this for?"

"You wanted to learn the Rasengan. This is the first step." Jiraiya put another balloon in his hand and focused his chakra into it. It bubbled and exploded outward.

"Wow, what was that?' Naruto exclaimed, his mask of indifference not even standing a chance.

"I just swirled my chakra around inside it and used the water to destroy it." Naruto instantly started to send his chakra into the ball of water.

The middle section of the sphere expanded outward and it popped. He looked at Jiraiya, who shook his head. Naruto spent the next five hours popping the balloons the wrong way. At noon, Jiraiya told Naruto to come to lunch.

"Hold on, one last balloon."

"Naruto, come inside and take a break!" Jiraiya ordered.

"One more balloon!" Jiraiya growled and ran towards Naruto, who put both hands on the balloon. Jiraiya knocked him down, making it so when the balloon exploded, the whiplash hit Jiraiya in the balls.

"OUCH!!!"

While Jiraiya recovered from the whiplash, Naruto experimented with the two handed Rasengan. He threw the water balloon behind him as he went in for lunch, making Jiraiya get whiplash in the face.

(Later)

Naruto came back out of the house and picked up another balloon. He popped it using two hands, then, after he picked another up, he tried using on hand.

He sent the chakra in, but the balloon barely shook. He made a clone, who performed the two handed Rasengan for him. He remembered what the balloon Jiraiya had destroyed look like.

He gathered chakra in his hand until a thin layer of blue light covered it. He let the chakra go, and it swirled around inside the water. He spun the chakra in every direction in every direction. It expanded out in every direction, but it never popped.

He tried to pop the balloon with one hand for the rest of the week. In actuality, he got it in one day, but it took so long to charge, he'd be dad half way through. So he spent the rest of the week learning how to do it quicker.

Near the end of the week, he was out in the woods, popping balloons, when the sun came up and some one came into the clearing. She was dressed in a kimono, with her brown hair flowing down her back. A basket hung on her arm, half way filled with good smelling herbs.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know any one was here." she said.

"It's no problem. By the way, I'm Naruto."

"I'm Haku, and it's very nice to meet you Naruto." she picked some more herbs and put them in her basket.

"Do you need any help Haku?" Naruto asked.

She showed him what herb to pick and smiled at him. He smiled back at her and sent his ash in every direction. Once Haku's basket was nearly over flowing, they sat down together.

"So what are you doing all alone out here?" she asked him.

"Training a new Jutsu. I'm a ninja." he pulled one of the balloons over to him and sent a quick, already spinning, burst of chakra inside it. It exploded in two seconds.

"Oh, wow, I've never known a ninja before." Naruto smiled and stood up.

"I need to leave so my allies don't worry. I'll see you some other time Haku?"

"Of course you will Naruto." Naruto disappeared into the woods as Haku pulled three senbon out of her pocket. She looked off in his direction.

"_What are you thinking?" _someone asked her mentally.

"_I think he's like us. If so, we have some touch battles ahead in another week._"

--

A/N: And there you have it.


End file.
